MLB Notebook: Machado is a doubles machine

By Roger Schlueter / MLB.com

In the second game of a doubleheader on May 29, 1955, Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente -- at the age of 20 years and 284 days -- collected three doubles in an 11-5 victory. The future Hall of Famer was the youngest player to have a three-double game since another future Hall of Famer, Eddie Mathews, did it on May 14, 1952.

Just a little more than a week ago, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado became the youngest player since Clemente to have three doubles in one game, and with his three-double night against the Blue Jays on Thursday, he has done something that no other player since 1916 has accomplished: have multiple three-double games before his 21st birthday.

Machado went 3-for-4 with three doubles in the O's 12-6 loss to the Blue Jays. Machado was 20 years and 321 days old for the game, which was the 98th of his career.

Machado has 37 multihit games in his career. Since 1916, only one player -- Cesar Cedeno -- has more multihit games so soon (by career games) at so young an age, with 39. At 37, Machado has the same number as Edgar Renteria. Mike Trout had 28 such games under these twin conditions (first 98 games, no older than 20 years and 321 days) and Bryce Harper had 29.

Machado has 46 extra-base hits in his career. Dating back to 1916, for a player this young and through his first 98 games, that is tied for the most with Ted Williams and Vada Pinson.

Machado has a Major League-leading 21 doubles. Since 1876, three players in their age-20 season have led the Majors in two-base hits: Alex Rodriguez in 1996, Cedeno in '71 and Pinson in '59. Rodriguez's 54 doubles in '96 are the most by a player in his age-20 or younger season.

Pirates
The Pirates defeated the Cubs, 4-2, on Thursday, improving to 29-18, which is tied for the second-best record in the National League. The Bucs opened the year 1-5. Since then, they own the best record in the Majors, have scored the fifth-most runs in the NL and have allowed the fourth-fewest runs.

Starling Marte collected two hits, scored two runs, drew a walk and stole a base in Pittsburgh's win. Marte has reached base safely twice in 28 of the team's first 47 games. That ties him with Lloyd Waner in 1928 for the most by any Pirates leadoff hitter since 1916. Marte's 28 games reaching base twice as a leadoff hitter are the second most in the Majors this season, behind Shin-Soo Choo's 30. For all hitters in 2013, Marte's 28 are the fifth most.

Jason Grilli pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts for his 19th save of the season. Those 19 through 47 team games tie him for the third most in history. Danny Graves had 21 through 47 team games in 2004, and Lee Smith had 20 in 1994. At 19, Grilli is tied with Jose Mesa (1996) and Kaz Sasaki (2001). In nine of Grilli's saves, he has pitched at least one inning and allowed no baserunners, which is tied with the Cardinals' Edward Mujica for the most in the Majors.

Miggy
Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-3 with a homer, single, two walks, two runs scored and three RBIs in the Tigers' 7-6 win against the Twins on Thursday. With the effort, Cabrera bumped his slash line to .391/.467/.701 and increased his Major League-leading RBI total to 55.

Cabrera's 55 RBIs through 45 team games are the second most for the Tigers since 1916, with Hank Greenberg driving in 57 in 1937.

Cabrera's 55 RBIs through 45 team games are the most for any player since Manny Ramirez had 56 through Boston's first 45 games in 2001.

Cabrera's .391 batting average is the highest for an American League player at the end of play on May 23 since 2001, when Ramirez was batting .414.

Cabrera homered for the fourth straight game, and has six home runs during this stretch. The Tigers' team record for consecutive games with at least one home run is five, shared by Rudy York (1937), Greenberg ('40), Vic Wertz ('50), Willie Horton ('69) and Marcus Thames (2008). Cabrera's six homers left him one shy of the AL record for the most total long balls over four consecutive games. The AL record of seven is shared by Tony Lazzeri (1936), Gus Zernial ('51), Frank Howard ('68) and Josh Hamilton (2012).

Indians
Returning to Fenway Park as the manager of the Indians, Terry Francona saw his club defeat the Red Sox, 12-3, on Thursday.

Among all Red Sox managers, Francona is second in years managed, games managed, wins and winning percentage (minimum 500 games). He is the leader in games over .500, and is one of two Red Sox skippers -- along with Bill Carrigan -- to capture two World Series titles.

The 12 runs tallied by the Indians are the most the club has put up at Fenway since scoring 12 on June 28, 2005. The team's 16 hits are the most it's had in Boston since it collected 18 on May 30, 2007.

None of the Tribe's 16 hits were home runs. The 12 runs in a homerless game are the most for the club since June 14, 2004, when it beat the Orioles, 14-0, with eight doubles and seven singles. Before this game, the last time the Indians played at Fenway and scored at least 12 runs without the benefit of a home run was on June 24, 1953. In that game, Cleveland got a double from Luke Easter, a triple from Al Rosen, 15 singles and defeated the Red Sox, 13-9.

Carlos Santana drew a career-high four walks in the game. Since the beginning of the 2011 season, Santana's 217 walks are the fourth most in the Majors, behind Joey Votto (245), Prince Fielder (223) and Jose Bautista (221).

On April 19, a 3-2 loss to the Astros dropped the Indians' record to 5-10. Since then, the club's .710 winning percentage is the best in the Majors.

Trout
In the Angels' 5-4 win over the Royals, Trout was 2-for-4 and hit his 10th home run of the season.

Trout has four doubles, three triples and eight home runs in May, and has posted a .359/.440/.795/1.234 line this month. The team record for home runs in May is 13, by Mo Vaughn in 2000. The club record for the most extra-base hits in May is 21, by Troy Glaus in 2001. The team record for OPS in May (minimum 100 plate appearances) is 1.197, by Glaus in 2000.

Trout's home run was estimated at 463 feet -- the longest by a visiting player at Kauffman Stadium since Travis Hafner's 481-foot shot on April 15, 2012.

Roger Schlueter is senior researcher for MLB Productions. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.